michael, brother of jerry-第15章

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e。　　His　quick　ears　caught　a　similar　gurgling　from　the　right　in　the　direction　of　the　next　alleyway。　　Listening　closely；　he　could　have　sworn　he　heard　the　sounds　of　a　bit　biting　into　hard　wood。

A　minute　later；　his　own　brace　and　bit　carefully　secreted；　his　hand　was　descending　on　the　shoulder　of　a　man　he　could　not　recognize　in　the　gloom；　but　who；　on　his　knees　and　wheezing；　was　steadily　boring　into　the　head　of　a　cask。　　The　culprit　made　no　effort　to　escape；　and　when　Daughtry　struck　a　match　he　gazed　down　into　the　upturned　face　of　the　Ancient　Mariner。

〃My　word！〃　the　steward　muttered　his　amazement　softly。　　〃What　in　hell　are　you　running　water　out　for？〃

He　could　feel　the　old　man's　form　trembling　with　violent　nervousness；　and　his　own　heart　smote　him　for　gentleness。

〃It's　all　right；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Don't　mind　me。　　How　many　have　you　bored？〃

〃All　in　this　tier；〃　came　the　whispered　answer。　　〃You　will　not　inform　on　me　to　the　。　。　。　the　others？〃

〃Inform？〃　Daughtry　laughed　softly。　　〃I　don't　mind　telling　you　that　we're　playing　the　same　game；　though　I　don't　know　why　you　should　play　it。　　I've　just　finished　boring　all　of　the　starboard　row。　　Now　I　tell　you；　sir；　you　skin　out　right　now；　quietly；　while　the　goin'　is　good。　　Everybody's　aloft；　and　you　won't　be　noticed。　　I'll　go　ahead　and　finish　this　job　。　。　。　all　but　enough　water　to　last　us　say　a　dozen　days。〃

〃I　should　like　to　talk　with　you　。　。　。　to　explain　matters；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　whispered。

〃Sure；　sir；　an'　I　don't　mind　sayin'；　sir；　that　I'm　just　plain　mad　curious　to　hear。　　I'll　join　you　down　in　the　cabin；　say　in　ten　minutes；　and　we　can　have　a　real　gam。　　But　anyway；　whatever　your　game　is；　I'm　with　you。　　Because　it　happens　to　be　my　game　to　get　quick　into　port；　and　because；　sir；　I　have　a　great　liking　and　respect　for　you。　　Now　shoot　along。　　I'll　be　with　you　inside　ten　minutes。〃

〃I　like　you；　steward；　very　much；〃　the　old　man　quavered。

〃And　I　like　you；　sirand　a　damn　sight　more　than　them　money…sharks　aft。　　But　we'll　just　postpone　this。　　You　beat　it　out　of　here；　while　I　finish　scuppering　the　rest　of　the　water。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　with　the　three　money…sharks　still　at　the　mast…heads；　Charles　Stough　Green…leaf　was　seated　in　the　cabin　and　sipping　a　highball；　and　Dag　Daughtry　was　standing　across　the　table　from　him；　drinking　directly　from　a　quart　bottle　of　beer。

〃Maybe　you　haven't　guessed　it；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　said；　〃but　this　is　my　fourth　voyage　after　this　treasure。〃

〃You　mean　。　。　。　？〃　Daughtry　asked。

〃Just　that。　　There　isn't　any　treasure。　　There　never　was　oneany　more　than　the　Lion's　Head；　the　longboat；　or　the　bearings　unnamable。〃'

Daughtry　rumpled　his　grizzled　thatch　of　hair　in　his　perplexity；　as　he　admitted：

〃Well；　you　got　me；　sir。　　You　sure　got　me　to　believin'　in　that　treasure。〃

〃And　I　acknowledge；　steward；　that　I　am　pleased　to　hear　it。　　It　shows　that　I　have　not　lost　my　cunning　when　I　can　deceive　a　man　like　you。　　It　is　easy　to　deceive　men　whose　souls　know　only　money。　But　you　are　different。　　You　don't　live　and　breathe　for　money。　I've　watched　you　with　your　dog。　　I've　watched　you　with　your　nigger　boy。　　I've　watched　you　with　your　beer。　　And　just　because　your　heart　isn't　set　on　a　great　buried　treasure　of　gold；　you　are　harder　to　deceive。　　Those　whose　hearts　are　set；　are　most　astonishingly　easy　to　fool。　　They　are　of　cheap　kidney。　　Offer　them　a　proposition　of　one　hundred　dollars　for　one；　and　they　are　like　hungry　pike　snapping　at　the　bait。　　Offer　a　thousand　dollars　for　one；　or　ten　thousand　for　one；　and　they　become　sheer　lunatic。　　I　am　an　old　man；　a　very　old　man。　　I　like　to　live　until　I　dieI　mean；　to　live　decently；　comfortably；　respectably。〃

〃And　you　like　the　voyages　long？　　I　begin　to　see；　sir。　　Just　as　they're　getting　near　to　where　the　treasure　ain't；　a　little　accident　like　the　loss　of　their　water…supply　sends　them　into　port　and　out　again　to　start　hunting　all　over。〃

The　Ancient　Mariner　nodded；　and　his　sun…washed　eyes　twinkled。

〃There　was　the　Emma　Louisa。　　I　kept　her　on　the　long　voyage　over　eighteen　months　with　water　accidents　and　similar　accidents。　　And；　besides；　they　kept　me　in　one　of　the　best　hotels　in　New　Orleans　for　over　four　months　before　the　voyage　began；　and　advanced　to　me　handsomely；　yes；　bravely；　handsomely。〃

〃But　tell　me　more；　sir；　I　am　most　interested；〃　Dag　Daughtry　concluded　his　simple　matter　of　the　beer。　　　〃It's　a　good　game。　　I　might　learn　it　for　my　old　age；　though　I　give　you　my　word；　sir；　I　won't　butt　in　on　your　game。　　I　wouldn't　tackle　it　until　you　are　gone；　sir；　good　game　that　it　is。〃

〃First　of　all；　you　must　pick　out　men　with　moneywith　plenty　of　money；　so　that　any　loss　will　not　hurt　them。　　Also；　they　are　easier　to　interest〃

〃Because　they　are　more　hoggish；〃　the　steward　interrupted。　　〃The　more　money　they've　got　the　more　they　want。〃

〃Precisely；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　continued。　　〃And；　at　least；　they　are　repaid。　　Such　sea…voyages　are　excellent　for　their　health。　After　all；　I　do　them　neither　hurt　nor　harm；　but　only　good；　and　add　to　their　health。〃

〃But　them　scarsthat　gouge　out　of　your　faceall　them　fingers　missing　on　your　hand？　　You　never　got　them　in　the　fight　in　the　longboat　when　the　bo's'n　carved　you　up。　　Then　where　in　Sam　Hill　did　you　get　the　them？　　Wait　a　minute；　sir。　　Let　me　fill　your　glass　first。〃　　And　with　a　fresh…brimmed　glass；　Charles　Stough　Greanleaf　narrated　the　history　of　his　scars。

〃First；　you　must　know；　steward；　that　I　amwell；　a　gentleman。　　My　name　has　its　place　in　the　pages　of　the　history　of　the　United　States；　even　back　before　the　time　when　they　were　the　United　States。　　I　graduated　second　in　my　class　in　a　university　that　it　is　not　necessary　to　name。　　For　that　matter；　the　name　I　am　known　by　is　not　my　name。　　I　carefully　compounded　it　out　of　names　of　other　families。　　I　have　had　misfortunes。　　I　trod　the　quarter…deck　when　I　was　a　young　man；　though　never　the　deck　of　the　Wide　Awake；　which　is　the　ship　of　my　fancyand　of　my　livelihood　in　these　latter　days。

〃The　scars　you　asked　about；　and　the　missing　fingers？　　Thus　it　chanced。　　It　was　the　morning；　at　late　getting…up　times　in　a　Pullman；　when　the　accident　happened。　　The　car　being　crowded；　I　had　been　forced　to　accept　an　upper　berth。　　It　was　only　the　other　day。　A　few　years　ago。　　I　was　an　old　man　then。　　We　were　coming　up　from　Florida。　　It　was　a　collision　on　a　high　trestle。　　The　train　crumpled　up；　and　some　of　the　cars　fell　over　sideways　and　fell　off；　ninety　feet　into　the　bottom　of　a　dry　creek。　　It　was　dry；　though　there　was　a　pool　of　water　just　ten　feet　in　diameter　and　eighteen　inches　deep。　　All　the　rest　was　dry　boulders；　and　I　bull's…eyed　that　pool。

〃This　is　the　way　it　was。　　I　had　just　got　on　my　shoes　and　pants　and　shirt；　and　had　started　to　get　out　of　the　bunk。　　There　I　was；　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bunk；　my　legs　dangling　down；　when　the　locomotives　came　together。　　The　berths；　upper　and　lower；　on　the　opposite　side　had　already　been　made　up　by　the　porter。

〃And　there　I　was；　sitting；　legs　dangling；　not　knowing　where　I　was；　on　a　trestle　or　a　flat；　when　the　thing　happened。　　I　just　naturally　left　that　upper　berth；　soared　like　a　bird　across　the　aisle；　went　through　the　glass　of　the　window　on　the　opposite　side　clean　head…　first；　turned　over　and　over　through　the　ninety　feet　of　fall　more　times　than　I　like　to　remember；　and　by　some　sort　of　miracle　was　mostly　flat…out　in　the　air　when　I　bull's…eyed　that　pool　of　water。　It　was　only　eighteen　inches　deep。　　But　I　hit　it　flat；　and　I　hit　it　so　hard　that　it　must　have　cushioned　me。　　I　was　the　only　survivor　of　my　car。　　It　struck　forty　feet　away　from　me；　off　to　the　side。　And　they　took　only　the　dead　out　of　it。　　When　they　took　me　out　of　the　pool　I　wasn't　dead　by　any　means。　　And　when　the　surgeons　got　done　with　me；　there　were　the　fingers　gone　from　my　hand；　that　scar　down　the　side　of　my　face　。　。　。　and；　though　you'd　never　guess　it；　I've　been　three　ribs　short　of　the　regular　complement　ever　since。

〃Oh；　I　had　no　complaint　coming。　　Think　of　the　others　in　that　car　all　dead。　　Unfortunately；　I　was　riding　on　a　pass；　and　so　could　not　sue　the　railroad　company。　　But　here　I　am；　the　only　man　who　ever　dived　ninety　feet　into　eighteen　inches　of　water　and　lived　to　tell　the　tale。Steward；　if　you　don't　mind　replenishing　my　glass　。　。　。　〃

Dag　Daughtry　complied　and　in　his　excitement　of　interest　pulled　off　the　top　of　another　quart　of　beer　for　himself。

〃Go　on；　go　on；　sir；〃　he　murmured　huskily；　wiping　his　lips；　〃and　the　treasure…hunting　graft。　　I'm　straight　dying　to　hear。　　Sir；　I　salute　you。〃

〃I　may　say；　steward；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　resumed；　〃that　I　was　born　with　a　silver　spoon　that　melted　in　my　mouth　and　left　me　a　proper　prodigal　son。　　Also；　that　I　was　born　with　a　back…bone　of　pride　that　would　not　melt。　　Not　for　a　paltry　railroad　accident；　but　for　things　long　before　as　well　as　after；　my　family　let　me　die；　and　I　。　。　。　I　let　it　live。　　That　is　the　story。　　I　let　my　family　live。　　Furthermore；　it　was　not　my　family's　fault。　　I　never　whimpered。　　I　never　let　on。　　I　melted　the　last　of　my　silver　spoon…　…South　Sea　cotton；　an'　it　please　you；　cacao　in　Tonga；　rubber　and　mahogany　in　Yucatan。　　And　do　you　know；　at　the　end；　I　slept　in　Bowery　lodging…houses　and　ate　scrapple　in　East…Side　feeding…dens；　and；　on　more　than　one　occasion；　stood　in　the　bread…line　at　midnight　and　pondered　whether　or　not　I　should　faint　before　I　fed。〃

〃And　you　never　squealed　to　your　family；〃　Dag　Daughtry　murmured　admiringly　in　the　pause。

The　Ancient　Mariner　straightened　up　his　shoulders；　threw　his　head　back；　then　bowed　it　and　repeated；　〃No；　I　never　squealed。　　I　went　into　the　poor…house；　or　the　county　poor…farm　as　they　call　it。　　I　lived　sordidly。　　I　lived　like　a　beast。　　For　six　months　I　lived　like　a　beast；　and　then　I　saw　my　way　out。　　I　set　about　building　the　Wide　Awake。　　I　built　her　plank　by　plank；　and　copper…fastened　her；　selected　her　masts　and　every　timber　of　her；　and　personally　signed　on　her　full　ship's　complement　fore…and…aft；　and　outfitted　her　amongst　the　Jews；　and　sailed　with　her　to　the　South　Seas　and　the　treasure　buried　a　fathom　under　the　sand。

〃You　see；〃　he　explained；　〃all　this　I　did　in　my　mind；　for　all　the　time　I　was　a　hostage　in　the　poor…farm　of　broken　men。〃

The　Ancient　Mariner's　face　grew　suddenly　bleak　and　fierce；　and　his　right　hand　flashed　out　to　Daughtry's　wrist；　prisoning　it　in　withered　fingers　of　steel。

〃It　was　a　long；　hard　way　to　get　out　of　the　poor…farm　and　finance　my　miserable　little；　pitiful　little；　adventure　of　the　Wide　Awake。　Do　you　know　that　I　worked　in　the　poor…farm　laundry　for　two　years；　for　one　dollar　and　a　half　a　week；　with　my　one　available　hand　and　what　little　I　could　do　with　the　other；　sorting　dirty　clothes　and　folding　sheets　and　pillow…slips　until　I　thought　a　thousand　times　my　poor　old　back　would　break　in　two；　and　until　I　knew　a　million　times　the　location　in　my　chest　of　every　fraction　of　an　inch　of　my　missing　ribs。〃

〃You　are　a　young　man　yet〃

Daughtry　grinned　denial　as　he　rubbed　his　grizzled　mat　of　hair。

〃You　are　a　young　man　yet；　steward；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　insisted　with　a　show　of　irritation。　　〃You　have　never　been　shut　out　from　life。　　In　the　poor…farm　one　is　shut　out　from　life。　　There　is　no　respectno；　not　for　age　alone；　but　for　human　life　in　the　poor…　house。　　How　shall　I　say　it？　　One　is　not　dead。　　Nor　is　one　alive。　One　is　what　once　was　alive　and　is　in　process　of　becoming　dead。